Roadrunner Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Blog

Now’s the Time to Prep Your Home for Winter!

If you’ve lived in New Mexico for even just a year, then you know what kind of weather you’ll be up against soon. With winter just around the corner, and subsequent low temperatures along with it, now is the time to ensure that your home is prepared—which includes making sure your heater is ready for all the work it’s about to go through. This means that now is the time to schedule maintenance if you haven’t already, and take care of any pending Albuquerque, NM heater repair needs.

It’s important to note that no matter what kind of heater you have in your home, it has its limits on how efficiently it can function. Even those heaters with the highest efficiency ratings have a stopping point. Since making sure you have adequate heat is a huge part of prepping your home for winter, we feel that this bears mentioning! With that said, here are some specific ways to prepare your living space for the colder time of the year.

Maintain Your Heater

Heating systems need to be maintained at least once a year—twice a year if you are using a heat pump system, since this is something you use for year round comfort. It’s during your heating maintenance appointment that our staff will thoroughly inspect the entire unit, make any necessary adjustments, clean the system, and alert you to any repair needs. Tackling repairs sooner than later means you’ll have a more reliable heater this winter.

Install Weatherstripping

What good is a highly efficient heater if your home is letting that heated air escape? This is a waste of energy, and as a result a waste of your money, too. Installing weatherstripping is a sure way to keep the heat indoors and the cold air out, thus helping your heater to work as efficiently and effectively as possible!

Add Insulation

What does your home’s insulation situation look like? Without proper insulation—like weatherstripping—your heater can’t be used as efficiently as possible. Here’s another tip about insulation—not only does it help keep heat in during the winter, it helps to keep it out during the summer.

Install Ceiling Fans

If you didn’t already know this trick, don’t worry—you’re not alone! But just as your ceiling fan helps to pull heat out of the air and evenly distribute cool air during the summer, the simple flick of a switch can reverse the direction of your ceiling fan blades and help you heat your home more efficiently too.

If you don’t already have ceiling fans installed throughout your home, now is a good time to get them. You will likely be surprised at just how effective they are at helping your heater keep the home comfortable during the winter.

Check Your Thermostat

Many homeowners underestimate just how vital this small HVAC component is. It is essentially the brain of your heating system (as well as your air conditioner). If it’s outdated or is malfunctioning, then you could suffer the consequences by way of a heater that just won’t work right.

Even a switch from a manual slider thermostat to a basic digital or programmable thermostat can benefit you. It will allow you to cater your heater’s performance to your schedule, and with accuracy. Be sure to work with an experienced professional to have your thermostat installed correctly.